Valve



Aug. 15, 1933.

C; J. WESTLING VALVE Filed March 4, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 15, 1933.c, J. WESTLING 1,922,064

VALVE Filed March 4, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 32 am, yam/16W I PatentedAug. 15, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics VALVE Carl J. Westling,Chicago, Ill.

Application March 4, 1931. Serial No. 520,016

9 Claims.

My invention relates to valves, particularly to gate valves such as areemployed in connection with coke oven gas, producer gas, blast furnaceor any other noxious gas mains or conduits for the purpose of shuttingoff the flow of gas to connected apparatus such as gas holders, gaswashers or the like.

It is well known that where these valves are employed it is desirablethat the gas have free passage to the connected apparatus when the valveis open, and when the valve is closed it is desirable to prevent leakageof the gas past the valve and to the connected apparatus, which leakagepresents great danger to workmen or others at the apparatus.

My present invention provides for ventilating the valve casing when thevalve is closed so that in case of any leakage at the valve at that timethis leakage will be discharged from the valve casing and will not passto the connected apparatus.

My present invention further provides for embodying the above feature instandard types of valves now in use without material alteration and at aminimum expense.

.ment of the two aligned or opposite ventilating openings in the valvecasing provides for a cross flow or cross current of air through thecasing, which materially augments ventilation and effectively carriesthe gases away from the valve casing, thereby further assuring againstpassage of gas to the connected apparatus when the valve is closed.

My present invention provides for disabling or rendering ineffective theventilating means, and more particularly for closing the ventilatingopenings when the valve is open so that the gas will pass through thevalve casing and gas main to the connected apparatus without dischargeor loss at the valve.

My invention further provides for minimizing discharge or loss of gas toatmosphere by way of the ventilating means at the valve casing in theintermediate positions of the valve member between closed and openpositions, that is, in operating the valve member from closed to openposition and vice versa.

lViy invention also provides for automatically rendering the ventilatingmeans efiective by the closing of the valve, and for automaticallyrendering the ventilating means ineiiective by the opening of the valve,the ventilating openings of the illustrated embodiment beingautomatically opened by the closing of the valve and automaticallyclosed by the opening of the valve.

Still further features reside in the expanding lever and wedgearrangement for seating the valve discs upon the main valve seats andupon the ventilating opening seats, the manner of fulcruming the valvediscs in expanding said discs to the ventilating openings seats, as wellas to the main valve seats, and the manner of releasing the iulcrumingaction to free the valve discs from both the ventilating opening seatsand the main valve seats ahead of the movement from position between theventilating opening seats to position between the main valve seats, andalso ahead of the movement of these valve discs from position betweenthe main valve seats to position between the ventilating opening seats.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view partially in section of one form ofvalve embodying my present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a detail section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a diagram showing in full lines the valve discs seated uponthe main valve seats and in dotted lines the manner in which these valvediscs are freed from the main valve seats ahead of the actual lifting ofthe valve discs to open position;

Figure 6 is a diagram similar to Figure 5 showing the valve discs inintermediate position;

Figure 7 is a diagram similar to Figure 5 showing in full lines thevalve discs seated upon the ventilating opening seats and in dottedlines the manner in which these valve discs are freed from these seatsahead of actual movement of the valve discs to position between the mainvalve seats; and

Figure 8 is a view partially in elevation and partially in sectionshowing an arrangement for use where the valve is disposed inside.

The usual gas conduit or main is indicated at 5. It may be composed ofany number of sections secured together in any well known manner. Thetwo sections shown in the drawings are separated to receive the valvecasing 6 between them, the valve casing 6 having flanges 7 and theadjacent ends of the conduit sections 5 having flanges 8 V to which theflanges 7 are bolted or otherwise secured at 9. The openings 10 and 11constitu main valve openings and in the illustrated embodiment registerwith each other and ith the bores of the conduit sections 5, there beingmain valve seats 12 surrounding the inr r ends oi the openings 10 and 11which seats are in opposition within the casing and are spaced apart toceive'the valve discs 13, expanding levers 14, cage 15, the lower endor"the valve stem 16 and other parts'between them.

The interior 17 of the valve casing 6, which casing comprises the maincasing part 18c and the supplemental casing or bonnet part 181 bolted orotherwise secured thereto, is closed except-for the openings and 11 anda pair of ventilating openings indicated at 19 and 2c. The entry or" thevalve stem 16 is provided with L ..d packed at 22 to seal the valvecasing against the escape of along the valve stem. stem 16 has athreaded extension 23 in threaded engagement at 24 with a collar 25. Thecollar 25 is fixed against movement axially of the stem 16 in the upperend oian arched frame 26, which frame 26 is secured at 27 to the valvecasing 6. The collar 25*has fixed thereon to turn the collar 25 with it,a hand wheel 28 by means of which the collar is'turned to'raise andlower the stem 16 through the threaded engagement therewith. The frame26 is of split construction clamped at 29 about the collar 25'whichcollar has a flange 30:underly ing the adjacent portion of the frame 26,there being a thrust bearing 31 between the hub 32 of the hand wheel 28and the adjacent portion of the frame 26 and locknuts 33 being providedfor holding the collar 25 in place in the frame and the hand wheel 28thereon.

The valve discs 13 have cuter annular ats E i engageable with the mainvalve seats 12 upon positioning the valve discs between the seats asshown, and these discs 13 have inner annular seat's'35 engageable whenthe valve discs are in position between theventilating openings 19 and20 as shown in Figure 7, with seats 36 surrounding the inner ends of theopenings 19 29.

The cage 15 isdisposcd between the valve discs 13'and has a collar 37rigidly secured at 38 up n the lower end of the valve stem 16;interposed between the opposite sides or" the cage 15 and the respectivediscs 13 the expanding levers '14 each of which has an integral stud 40eng sing a recess 41 at the axis of the adjacent di.

J the c and having rocking contact at l2 to permit fr fulcruming of thevalve discs to their respective seats. In the upward movement of thevalve stem 16 engagement of the flange 45 on cage 15 with the lower endsof levers 14 raises the valve discs 13 from position between the seats12 to pcsition' between the seats 36, and in the downward movement ofthe stem the 43 on the cage 15 by engagementwith shoulders .7 on thelevers '14 movesthe valve discs 13 from position between the seats 36 toposition between the seats 12';

Means operative at the opposite limits or" movement of the valve discs13 expand these discs to engage the seat 34 with the seats when thediscs are between the openings 10 and 11 and the seats 35 with the seats36 when the valve discs are in position between the ventilating cpentags19 and 20. The means expanding the discs to the seats 12 comprises abottom expanding plug 49 l aving a tapered upper end 50 which engagescorrespondingly tapered shoulders 51 on the levers 14; at the lows limitof movement of the discs 13. The plug 49 has a plate 52 bolted Figuroverthe expanding plug opening 53 at the bottom of the valve casing.

The expanding means at the opposite limit of movement of the discs 13comprises an expanding plug 54 tapered at 55 and in the illustratedembodiment formed integral with the gland 21. The engagement of theflange 46 with the shoulders r? is preferably rounded to form a fulcrumfor the valve discs when the bottom expanding plug is operative, and theengagement of the flange 45 with the lower ends of the levers 14 islikewise preferably rounded to form a fulcrum for the valve discs 13when the top expanding plug 54 is operative. As shown in Figure 2, theflange 45 is spaced below the lower ends of the levers 1 1, the cage 15having movement relative the levers 1i and discs 13 an amount equal tothe distance of the flange 45 below the lower ends of the levers 14 ateach limit of movement of the valve discs to permit release of theexpanding means and freeing of the valve discs from the main andventilating opening seats ahead-of themovernent of the discs fromposition between each pair of seats 12, 36 to position between the otherpairof seats.

Referring now to Figure 2 and the diagrams of Figures 5, 6 and 7, theoperation of the valve as follows:

Assuming that the discs 13 are seated uponthe main valve seats at 12,the valve is closed and rior of the valve casing 6 and willbeeifectively' carried away to atmosphere by thecr'oss-fl'ow of through.the ventilating openings 19 and 20. In order to open the valve the handwheel 28 is turned to raise the stem 16, the initial raising movement ofthe stem lifting the'cage 15 with it and freeing the fulcrum engagementat 46, 4'7 which frees the valve seats 34 from the seats 12, permittingthe valve discs to-retract away from the seats 12, as shown in dottedlines in Figure 5, before the actual lifting of the valve discs towardthe upper or open position. When the 45 engages the lower ends of thelevers 14- continued upward movement of the stem lifts the valve membersto position between the openings 19 and 20, in which position theinclined surfaces 50 on the levers 14 engage the upper exduits 5 and atthis time the valve discs 13 close engage the seats 35 thereof with theventilating opening seats 36. In this position the valve is open for thefree flow of gas through the conduits 5 and at this time the valve discs13 close the ventilating openings 19 and 20 against discharge or loss ofgas to atmosphere through these openings.

With the valve open and the ventilating openings 19 and 120 closed, asshown in the diagram of Figure 7, in order to close the valve the handwheel 28 is turned to lower the stem 16. The

initialdownward movement of the stem frees the I flange 25 from thelower ends of the levers l4 and thereby the fulcrum about which thevalve discs fulcrum to the seats 36 permitting the valve discs to freeor retract themselves from the seats as shown in dotted lines in thediagram of Continued downward movement of the engages the flange 16 withthe shoulders the openings 10 and 11 in which position hese valve discsare expanded to the seats 12 by iii) engagement of the plug with thetapered shoulders 51 on the levers l4.

The intermediate retracted positions of the valve discs in theirmovement from position between the main valve seats to position betweenthe ventilating openings and. in their movement from position betweenthe ventilating openings to position between the main valve openings isillustrated in the diagram of Figure 6. An opening 62 in the bottom ofthe cage 15 is freely movable over the plug 49 at the lower position ofthe valve cage.

For the purpose of preventing or reducing the escape of gas from themain or conduit 5 through the ventilating openings 19 and 20 duringmovement of the valve from closed to open position and vice versa, thecage 15 is provided with baifle arms 65 which form obstructions orbarriers between the openings 10 and 11 and the openings 19 and 20.These bafile arms 65 preferably extend out to the sides of the casingwith their outer ends 66 engaged in guides 67 in the casing, therebyeliminating any tendency of the twisting action on the stem to betransmitted to the disc seats which might cause binding and wear on themwhen operating the valve. The baffle arms 65 while forming barriersbetween the openings 10 and 11 and the openings 19 and 20 have adequatefreedom within the valve casing so as not to impair or interfere withmovement of the valve discs from either position to the other. The valvecasing 6 may be enlarged at 68 (Fig. 1) to permit free passage of anygas remaining in the lower part of the casing when the valve is closed,around the bailie arms 65 and out through the ventilating openings.

When the valve is arranged inside, as shown in Figure 8, the valvecasing 6 may be ventilated to atmosphere by a flue '70 connected to oneof the ventilating openings 19, 20' and extending up to atmosphere atthe outside of the building 71 at 72. In this case the other ventilatingopening 19', 20' is connected to the outside by a conduit '73, the gasconduits being indicated at 5'. Ventilation might, of course, be furtheraugmented by providing means for blowing or drawing the air out throughthe flue 70.

In Figures 1, 2 and 3 lugs on the cage 15 cooperate with the levers 14to maintain these parts properly positioned with respect to each other.

It is to be understood that the valve discs 13 may be expanded in otherways than the particular manner shown. Different manufacturers havedifierent ways of expanding these valve discs, the particulararrangement shown being for purposes of illustration of the presentinvention and it is to be understood that other changes in theparticular details shown are contemplated within the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a valve casing having a main valve opening adaptedfor connection in a conduit, and a valve adapted for closing saidopening and movable to open position, said casing having means forventilating the same when said valve is closed, said ventilating meanscomprising an opening adapted to be closed by said valve in its openposition with respect to said main valve opening.

2. In combination, a valve casing adapted for connection in a conduitand having a pair of opposite main valve openings, opposed main valveseats for said openings, said valve casing having a pair of oppositeventilating openings, opposed seats for said ventilating openings andvalve means movablefrom position between the main valve seats toposition between the seats for the ventilating openings and vice versa,said. valve means being engageable with the main valve seats to closethe main valve openings in one position and being engageable with theseats for the ventilating openings to close said openings said mainopenings are open.

3. In combination, a valve casing adapted for connection in a conduitand having opposite openings adapted for placing the conduit on one sideof the casing in communication withthe conduit on the other side of thecasing, valve seats for said openings, ventilating openings in saidcasing, valve seats for said ventilating openings, a pair of valve discsmovable from position between said first valve seats to position betweensaid second valve seats and vice versa, and means for expanding saidvalve discs into engagement with the adjacent valve seats in each ofsaid valve disc positions.

4. In combination, a valve casing having opposite main valve openingsprovided with opposed main valve seats, said casing having oppositeventilating openings provided with opposed ventilating opening seats, avalve stem entering the casing, a pair of valve discs carried by saidstem and movable from position between the main valve seats to positionbetween the ventilating opening seats and vice versa, expanding meansfor said discs and means engageable with said expanding means at onelimit of movement of the valve discs for expanding said discs to themain valve seats and at the other limit of movement of said discs forexpanding the discs to the seats for the ventilating openings.

5. In combination, a valve casing having opposite main valve openingsprovided with opposed main valve seats, said casing having oppositeventilating openings provided with opposed seats, a valve stem enteringthe casing, a pair of valve discs carried by said stem and movable fromposition between the main valve seats to position between theventilating opening seats and vice versa, means operative at one limitof movement of the valve discs for expanding said discs to the mainvalve seats, and means operative at the other limit of movement of thevalve discs for expanding said discs to the seats for the ventilatingopenings.

6. In combination, a valve casing having opposite main valve openingsprovided with opposed main valve seats, said casing having oppositeventilating openings provided with opposed seats, a valve stem enteringthe casing, a pair of valve discs carried by said stem and movable fromposition between the main valve seats to position between theventilating opening seats and vice versa, means operative at one limitof movement of the valve discs for expanding said discs to the seats forventilating openings, and a pair of fulcrums for said valve discs oneoperative when said first expanding means is operative and the otherbeing operative when the other expanding means is operative.

'7. In combination, a valve casing having opposite main valve openingsprovided with opposed main valve seats, said casing having oppositeventilating openings provided with opposed seats, a valve stem enteringthe casing, a pair of valve discs carried by said stem and movable fromposition between the main valve seats to position between theventilating opening seats and vice versa, means operative at one limitof movement 4- ma ma of the valve discs for expanding said discs to themain valve seats, means operative at the other limit of movement of thevalve discs for expanding said discs to the seats for ventilatingopenings, a pair of fulcrums for said valve discs one operative whensaid first expanding means is operative and the other being operativewhen the other expanding means is operative, and means for releasingeach of said fulcrums and .the valve seating action ateach of theopposite limits of movement and before actual movement of the valvediscs to the other position of said discs.

8. In combination, a valve casing having opposite main valve openingsprovided with op posed main valve seats, said casing having oppositeventilating openings provided with opposed ventilating opening seats, avalve stem entering the casinga pair of valve discs carried by said stemand movable from position between the main valve seats to positionbetween the ventilating opening seats and vice versa, a bottom expandingplug secured to the casing for expanding the valve discs intoengagementwith the main valve seats, a packing. gland for said stem, andan expanding plug on said packing gland for expanding the valve discs tothe seats for the ventilating openings.

'9. In combination, a valve casing having opposite main valve openingsprovided with opposed main valve seats, said casing having oppositeventilating openings provided with opposed ventilating openings seats, avalve stem entering the casing, a valve cage on said stem, a pair ofexpanding levers carried by said .cage,'a pair of valve discs carried bysaid levers and movable from position between the main valve seats 'toposition between the ventilating opening seats and vice versa, meansoperative at one limit of movement of the valve discs for expanding saiddiscs to the main valve seats, means operative at the other limit ofmovement of the valve discs for expanding said discs to the seats forventilating openings, a pair of fulcrums for said valve discs oneoperative when said first expanding means is operative and the otheroperative when the second expanding means is operative, and means onsaid valve cage engageable with said levers for moving the valve discsfrom one position to the other, said cage having movement relative saidlevers to permit release of each of said expanding means and freeing ofthe valve discs from the main and ventilating opening seats ahead ofmovement of said discs from one position to the other.

CARL J. WESTLING.

